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Patsy Brumfield’s gloss on the letters describes Langston as a “philanthropist.” She reports the I’ll-serve-the-time offer comes from Gary Walker, not Congressman Childers. Apparently they are different from the Scruggs letters in that they are much more personal in their praise.

I hear that she may post a full list of writers. I don’t see any hint of the information about cooperation that was mentioned in the effort to keep them from public view.

Here’s some of what she wrote:

Childers, a Langston friend and business partner for many years, wrote that he was saddened, even “heartbroken” to need to write his letter to Mills.

Gary Walker of Booneville even appeared very serious to offer himself to serve the sentence in Langston’s place.

“I humbly ask that you let me do his time,” he wrote, giving Mills his telephone number “so we can work out the details.”

Chiefly, the letters were similar, with the writers telling Mills of the myriad of good deeds and kindnesses the 53-year-old philanthropist had done through the years. But the details of the deeds were different, which pointed to how numerous they were.

The letters were nothing like most of those written on Scruggs’ behalf before he was sentenced to 60 months in prison in another judicial bribery conspiracy. His letters generally were from business associates, with a few personal letters describing his generosity to the University of Mississippi, his alma mater.

Only one letter urged Mills to sent Langston to prison, and its writer only signed it “P,” not with a name.